Sam is checking in for September 2022: Five weeks after knee replacement surgery

It’s been five weeks now since knee replacement surgery and mostly things are looking up. I’m sleeping reasonably well, reading books again (let me recommend, in particular, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin) and walking more and more each day. I’m also getting bored and I’m ready to get back to work which I think is a Very Good Sign.

I even snuck onto campus for a few hours for a bridal shower lunch for a colleague. Shhh!

I started out the month with Tiny Walks–just down the street and back–progressed to around the block, and this morning for the first time, walked more than around the block. Cheddar in particular was pleased.

Here is an interesting snapshot of increased activity. It’s my weekly step count. It seems shockingly low but it doesn’t include any walking about the house. It’s incomplete because it’s from Google Fit which requires me to have my phone with me. I haven’t been wearing my Garmin watch since knee surgery. The first week is right after surgery.

Here is Cheddar napping after our Saturday walk in my ‘ice and elevate’ living room location. Don’t worry. I will move him. If you read about my middle of the night pillow purchasing rampage, here’s one of them.

Pain management is going well. Sometimes now I notice my right knee hurting though. Sigh. I’m not sure if that’s because I am relying more on that knee or if it’s because comparatively the left knee is hurting less. It’s likely a mix of column A and column B.

I’m still icing and elevating the left knee a lot. I might continue to do that at work in my office. Still, overall, some days and in some ways, it now hurts less than pre-surgery. Stairs might even be getting easier. I’m no longer dependent on the ‘good leg goes to heaven, bad leg goes to hell’ technique.

Around the house I’m no longer needing to use crutches or a cane most of the time which means I can carry things around, like coffee and books! But also, laundry and dishes. It’s nice not to be planning my day around minimizing trips up and down stairs.

I wish, I wish I could pedal forwards on my bike on the trainer but there’s progress all the time. I can pedal forwards on the recumbent bikes at the gym and I can pedal backwards on my bike on the trainer at home. It’s so weird that backwards is easier. Joint mobility is the thing I am working on the most and it’s the part of physio that’s painful and the thing I stress about. I so miss riding my bike.

By way of distraction, this week I’m excited that the blog’s Catherine Womack is visiting and giving a talk at the University of Guelph.

On the occasion of Catherine’s visit to Guelph, Sarah and I hosted a BBQ for those fit feminist bloggers who were able to make it. Ellen was at the BBQ but left before we took the photo but here’s Brett, Meghan, Nicole, me, Mallory, Catherine, and Sarah. My mother Kathleen was also in attendance but she was taking the photo. Thanks mum!

I’ve also joined a fancy local gym since I recognize that much of my physical activity over the winter will need to be indoors. I’ll keep doing personal training with the world’s best personal trainer (hi Meg!) at the university gym but will be going to aquafit and lifting weights and maybe even going to hot yoga at the fancier place. Gyms with wood paneling and juice bars aren’t usually where I feel I belong but it’s going to be a long winter and they have a lovely pool with lots of fitness classes. I’m looking forward to it.

I’m going to indulge in hot tubs and massage therapy as I make my way through knee surgery recovery. I’m steeling myself as we plan for knee number two.

Here’s me checking in after Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4.